Detailed Regional Document including character guidelines: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VJGY9kWGfguQ1IbkmogwF2YKjbYrBqHiHahVkUTC_4w/edit?usp=sharing

This region retains its original, historical name. It was once the pride of Gorthael-Kath, the kingdom of giants. Its landscape is a vast sea of hills and rock formations, with mountain ranges interspersed throughout. The climate is naturally semi-arid and warm. Various dangers exist in this region, from trace echoes of allabons, to monstrous beasts, to savage bands of orcs and ogres. During the Doomful War, multiple allabons struck this region. The most infamous was when the dragonborn of east Jaia attacked with the allabon Stone Rain, which pulled the rocks from the surface of the land then flung them back down. This process repeated in intermittent cycles, with the first several volleys able to launch boulders weighing thousands of pounds each. All structures in the region were demolished, except for the very mightiest of constructions built by grandmaster stone giants, such as the Palace of Tarknoten, who was the king of Gorthael-Kath at the time. The stone rain continues to the present day, though it only has enough force to gather up stones no larger than fist-sized.

Cultural Details: For many centuries, this was a key region of Gorthael-Kath, the Giant Kingdom of Western Jaia. During the War of Three Dooms, the allabon Stone Rain was unleashed by the Dragonborn of Eastern Jaia, destroying nearly all of the region’s structures. Wasteland beasts and blight monstrosities prowl the wilds, and locations of interest fall into one of three categories: plundered, guarded, or undiscovered.

Base: Haiyel, an encampment of hardy races built over ruined Jotun foundations, tolerates treasure-hunters—and benefits from the supplies they bring from other continents.

Authority(s): Jaia has no overarching authority structure, as it is a realm in ruins. Individual locations have their own systems of governance (or none at all).

1. In the West of the Stones of Hongmar, a mixed band of four young Giants calling themselves Grags Clan—perhaps the last giants in this part of Jaia—brings order to the encampment, with the eldest wielding the most authority.
2. Sark XXIII controls the flow of Sweetwater, a precious commodity to the societies of the region, which flows from Sark's Source.
3. The Contested deep ways are contested by several factions of Duergar in a complicated web of fear, fighting, and extortion. Clan Tiefgraben claims the area near Terrific Slash; Clan Riesentreu holds fast to Stones' Dome.
4. The Oak & Iron Expedition operates Goatfall, a place of trade between the Underworld and the surface. The Expedition seeks to found a rival settlement to Haiyel led by immigrants from outside Jaia.

The Stones of Hongmar is the only currently active region that shares a border with Kaharraia (Hebutown). “Overland” travel from Hebutown is not strictly overland, and the way is secret, criminal, and unpleasant, kept secret by travelers submitting to a geas spell. Lawful characters immigrating to the Stones of Hongmar are advised to book ships' passage, or work aboard a boat, to avoid compromising their integrity.

Ereborak-Kri. This former bloodsport and entertainment compound sits at the head of the once-pliable Fire Marble River. In addition to a mighty colosseum, Ereborak-Kri contains a subterranean labyrinth. The arena is now rock-strewn and heaped with rubble, the river is a muddy wash, and the surrounding valley is filled with an eerie hush.

Haiyel (PORT HUB). This bayside encampment makes use of the ruined structures of a steading that once stood here. Its docks accept boats from the Scarlet Sea. Daily runs to the foliage on a western peninsula are needed to keep the Giants and Giant-kin fed. Adventurers can be assigned a shell that grants them an apartment in the Ten Tenement Towers, a daily meal, and rights to trade at the market. These shells are laces with divination magic: when they grow in strength, Grags Clan demands a tithe.

Goatfall. Near the bottom of Terrific Slash is a trading post made up mainly of orcs. A rotunda hosts a chiseled stone statue of an orc towing a wheeled cart with hammer in hand: Tash the Pilgrim. Their cannibalistic days are behind them, and they recruit heavily from Sark’s Source, connected by a thirty-mile-long set of tunnels and checkpoints to an egress overlooking the Ogre Town. An adjoining Dwarven Elevator operated by Duergar provided access to the Underworld for those with coin or supplies. Operated by the Oak & Iron Expedition.

Maw of Doom. A deadly perilous cave where stands the corpus-idol of Errras the Inevitable.

Palace of Tarknoten. Also known as Gorthael Palace, this was once the capital of Gorthael-Kath. It is now a massive ruin, though the palace itself still stands (albeit damaged and decrepit). There are multiple levels and wings to this wondrous structure, all sized for true giants. Sections of it are occupied by a motley group of duergar and oreads, who ward it with traps of all kinds and who are led by a stone giant lord, Akke-no-Tark. He is one of the few stone giants still alive in Jaia, and he claims to be the son of Tarknoten.
Many years ago, the Bazagonian adventuring party Phantasmagencia sacked the Palace of Tarknoten. The defeated Akke-no-Tark (though did not slay him) and took the sphere of elemental earth that he kept in the deepest vault. This powerful sphere was later taken from the party by the Witches of Whiptail, who bargained it to the archfiend, Nergoy, along with the petrified body of Elka Truesilver.

Sark’s Source. The orc chieftain Sark established the first permanent settlement in the Stones of Hongmar after the destruction wrought by Stone Rain. “The Source” is a wellspring of "Sweetwater" that enlivens the area, creating a stark contrast to the rocky lands that compose the majority of the region. Giant-built stonework diverts silty rivers around the Source, guarding its purity. The vitality and beauty of Sark’s Source inspire fierceness in its defenders; all living creatures must drink, and the diets of the river-roving orcs and ogres contain more meat for it.

Trudz Island. Ogres have always been on Trudz island. The naughty ogres of old loved to sail the seas and take what they wished. After a brutal but short war against the storm giants, the ogres of the sailing clans were placed on an island offshore and cursed to sink as rocks when in the water. This effectively ended the ogres' terror, and they were forgotten about to live their lives, generation after generation, on the tiny island.
Now, the Ogres are free of the curse. King Trudz immediately begins building ships for the 70 or so ogres cramped on the island. Kapuchu, an ancient aberration, has not been seen since the portal to the Plane of Water, Rask Tuk Horral, was destroyed.